With the support of the European Union Hnivan has made comprehensive refurbishment of kindergarten No. 3 “Sonechko”. Hence, 74 pre-school children will start their new academic season in more comfortable conditions, while local authorities expect heat energy losses to reduce by 70% of the 2018 figures.
This is the first out of 4 pre-school educational facilities of the town to undergo refurbishment within the project “Energy-Efficient Hnivan – Energy Policy of Sustainable Development of the Town of Hnivan”.
“Our facility was badly in need of refurbishment. This is the adapted building of 1948, and over the period of its operation no capital repairs have been made, just some “patch” current repair works funded from the local budget and based on the financial support provided by parents and donors. Due to absence of ventilation, and hence fresh air circulation children fell ill very often. Today there is ventilation system in every room of the kindergarten”, – says the director of kindergarten No. 3 Maryna Yarosevych.
The kindergarten is really hard to recognize – the building that is half a century old looks absolutely new both from the outside, and inside. Creative design ideas were suggested by the friendly staff of the institution. The façade has been symbolically painted yellow, with pictures of the sun and insects on it, and each room is unique in its own way, with new furniture and materials for the educational and upbringing process.
“Only walls have been left from the old building of this kindergarten! We have installed new heating and ventilation systems, all windows and doors have been replaced with energy-efficient ones, the roof has been reconstructed, the walls, the attic cover and the plinth have been insulated, internal lighting has been refurbished, and external lanterns on solar panels have been installed. Besides the works envisaged by the project, we have passed a decision to additionally have internal repairs in order to comprehensively refurbish the institution. Certainly, that required some extra time for construction works, but quality has always been and keeps being our priority”, – comments the town mayor Volodymyr Kuleshov.
Local business has also joined in the arrangement of the infrastructure in the territory of the kindergarten. That is an integral interactive space for children: one may study traffic rules here, the ABC, learn to count, create numerous play areas ranging from ordinary “hopscotch” to chequer. Teachers will also teach the children to sort waste – with this in view waste bins have been installed at the entrance. The initiative staff members of the kindergarten have also worked very well at the landscape design. The whole yard is decorated with greenery and flower beds, and in the backyard the children will have a chance to take care of their own vegetable patch in the form of flower beds-boats.
“The first day of our son Vladyslav in the kindergarten has been perfect! The child is extremely happy and full of positive impressions. At home he keeps telling everyone that his kindergarten is the best, that it is very nice and colourful”, – tells the mother of the child from pre-school educational institution No. 3 Oleksandr Sirokh.
“I would like to express sincere gratitude to all those who were involved in the refurbishment of the kindergarten “Sonechko”! Light, bright, and modern! Now it is comfortable and cozy in the kindergarten, and I bring my child here every morning with pleasure”, – says Inna Burak.
Let us remind that in total thermal refurbishment of 4 out of 5 pre-school educational institutions of the town of Hnivan is planned within the “Energy-Efficient Hnivan – Energy Policy of Sustainable Development of the Town of Hnivan” project supported by the EU. So far construction works are being performed in pre-school educational institution No. 1 which is twice bigger. External works have been completed in the institution, while inside it the builders are fully replacing the floor, ceiling, and walls. In the autumn it is intended to finish refurbishment of pre-school educational institutions No. 4 and No. 5.
Such a set of the project activities will enable not just to raise the level of comfort for children and teachers, but to save thermal power and electricity. According to some preliminary estimates, annual energy consumption by the kindergartens will go down by 70 % of the basic level. In the monetary equivalent the savings will be about 1 million UAH a year. Also, carbon dioxide emissions will be going down from year to year by 200 tons – over 900,000 trees are required to absorb such amount of СО2.
The project is funded by the European Union within the EU4Energy initiative and the program “Covenant of Mayors – Demonstration Projects” and is implemented by Hnivan Town Council in partnership with the Non-Governmental Organization “Euroregion “Dniester”.